ID :
138628
Sat, 08/21/2010 - 12:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/138628
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RF upholds UN`s leading role in humanitarian operation in Pakistan.
UNITED NATIONS, August 21 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia supports the leading
role of the United Nations in ensuring further humanitarian operations in
Pakistan, Russia's envoy Vitaly Churkin said at a meeting of the UN
General Assembly devoted to the situation in Pakistan.
"We regard as fully justified the decision of UN Secretary-General to
allocate additional funds from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund," he
said. The diplomat noted "the prompt work of UN agencies, led by the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to prepare an
urgent humanitarian appeal."
"We urge the OCHA to continue to coordinate the provision of emergency
humanitarian assistance to the affected population," Churkin said.
He recalled that at the meeting with his Pakistani counterpart held in
Sochi on August 18 President Dmitry Medvedev assured that Russia was ready
to provide all necessary assistance to Pakistan in the aftermath of floods.
"The relevant services of our countries are in constant contact," the
Russian diplomat said.
"Through bilateral channels Russia has already provided relief
assistance to Pakistan amounting to one million dollars," he said. Two
flights by IL-76 cargo planes brought to Islamabad 73 tonnes of
humanitarian supplies, including tents, blankets, foods, generators and
essentials," said Churkin. Currently, the Russian government is
considering contributions to the United Nations' funds, including those of
the WFP, the WHO and UNICEF, within the framework of the urgent
humanitarian appeal, the diplomat added.
"In Pakistan the international community and the UN is faced with a
very serious challenge," Churkin said. "The unprecedented scale of the
disaster, the number of casualties, and the damage to infrastructures have
led to well-known difficulties with prompt delivery and distribution of
humanitarian aid," he said.
"The experience of the humanitarian operation in Pakistan creates a
good opportunity for discussing within the United Nations ways of
improving the coherence, timeliness and adequacy of the global response to
such humanitarian emergencies," the diplomat added.
"In light of the growing number and scale of natural disasters such a
discussion would be very timely," he said.
"The key points in it, in our view, should be support for the central
role of the UN and its institutions and instruments for international
humanitarian response, as well as respect for the fundamental principles
of providing humanitarian aid," Churkin believes.
-0-str
role of the United Nations in ensuring further humanitarian operations in
Pakistan, Russia's envoy Vitaly Churkin said at a meeting of the UN
General Assembly devoted to the situation in Pakistan.
"We regard as fully justified the decision of UN Secretary-General to
allocate additional funds from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund," he
said. The diplomat noted "the prompt work of UN agencies, led by the
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to prepare an
urgent humanitarian appeal."
"We urge the OCHA to continue to coordinate the provision of emergency
humanitarian assistance to the affected population," Churkin said.
He recalled that at the meeting with his Pakistani counterpart held in
Sochi on August 18 President Dmitry Medvedev assured that Russia was ready
to provide all necessary assistance to Pakistan in the aftermath of floods.
"The relevant services of our countries are in constant contact," the
Russian diplomat said.
"Through bilateral channels Russia has already provided relief
assistance to Pakistan amounting to one million dollars," he said. Two
flights by IL-76 cargo planes brought to Islamabad 73 tonnes of
humanitarian supplies, including tents, blankets, foods, generators and
essentials," said Churkin. Currently, the Russian government is
considering contributions to the United Nations' funds, including those of
the WFP, the WHO and UNICEF, within the framework of the urgent
humanitarian appeal, the diplomat added.
"In Pakistan the international community and the UN is faced with a
very serious challenge," Churkin said. "The unprecedented scale of the
disaster, the number of casualties, and the damage to infrastructures have
led to well-known difficulties with prompt delivery and distribution of
humanitarian aid," he said.
"The experience of the humanitarian operation in Pakistan creates a
good opportunity for discussing within the United Nations ways of
improving the coherence, timeliness and adequacy of the global response to
such humanitarian emergencies," the diplomat added.
"In light of the growing number and scale of natural disasters such a
discussion would be very timely," he said.
"The key points in it, in our view, should be support for the central
role of the UN and its institutions and instruments for international
humanitarian response, as well as respect for the fundamental principles
of providing humanitarian aid," Churkin believes.
-0-str
